The Key to Nonprofit Success? Sutainability.

Nonprofit organizations impact our lives and our communities.  In fact, statistics show that more than 80% of the population will access services provided by a nonprofit organization in their lifetime.  If you doubt that number, think about all of the different nonprofits that provide community outreach in specialized areas –like organizations that provide car seats, or anti-bullying organizations like Stand For The Silent, that you may interact with. But how do these vital organizations stay funded?

“Nonprofits are changing the way they do business because government funding is not returning to pre-recession levels, philanthropic dollars are limited, and demand for critical services has climbed dramatically,” said Antony Bugg-Levine, CEO of Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF). “At the same time, 56 percent of nonprofits plan to increase the number of people served. That goal requires change and innovation– for nonprofits, for those who fund them, and for the broader systems we need to preserve and expand economic opportunity and social progress.”

In order to meet their goals in a complex financial environment, successful organizations are focused on efforts that create sustainable programs.  In an environmental context, sustainability generally means finding a way to use resources in a manner that prevents their depletion. In the nonprofit sector the phrase “financial sustainability” is commonly used to suggest that the nonprofit will be able to sustain itself over the long-term, perpetuating its ability to fulfill its mission. It needs programs that generate revenue, that help fund the greater mission.

Nonprofits must work for the greater good, but also RUN LIKE A BUSINESS if they want to maintain their services.  Not-for-profit, or nonprofit, is not synonymous with unprofitable. In fact, the term is not only a misnomer but has impeded many nonprofits from succeeding in their missions and being good stewards of the resources entrusted to them by donors.  The key difference is that instead of generating profit, a profitable charitable organization is SUSTAINABLE. This includes incorporating key small business practices, like those created by Jack Stack in The Great Game of Business.

Successful organizations know the importance of sustainable programs like Writing for the Soul Workshop™, a dynamic and innovative writing program growing at a remarkable rate globally. Through the #writeforthesilent Project, our Global Community Partnership with Stand for the Silent gave a platform and a voice to children and adults standing against bullying by helping them get what is on the inside …out in a whole new way: The Bully Diaries.

While the participants were impacted and empowered by the program, the program and Stand For The Silent is empowered by contributions from book sales, creating a cycle of sustainable funding and impact. It continues to be a win-win for all of us so that SFTS can take their presentation to schools around the world …even if the school can’t afford to pay them. Here’s a video from SFTS to give you a glimpse of their impact:

About The Bully Diaries

Chances are that you experienced bullying in your life.  Whether your experience was as a victim, a bystander, or the bully, if you search your memories, you will probably find instances when bullying was a part of your life.  For many of us, these experiences have defined us and shaped us.  Our experiences made us stronger, and helped us become who we are today.

When you are being bullied, it is hard to think about much more than getting through today. For others, there is no today.  Their experience being bullied was too overwhelming, and drove them to a devastating and permanent solution to the temporary pain.

The Bully Diaries has prevent teen bullycides here in the US and in Perth, Australia. Do you need to generate “Key Source Funding” like our global community partner Stand For The Silent? Then partner with us and let’s customize a project just for you. Use the Contact Form below to connect with us.

 

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